Transcript Slide 1

How much can you recall?
Governments
The Answers are …..
Forms of Governments
To study governments, geographers
look at the following:
Types – Who rules and how much can
a citizen can participate.
Systems – How the power is
distributed.
Types of Government are based on
one key question: Who governs and
what is the citizen participation?
There are three types of governments:

Autocracy, Oligarchy, and Democracy
Autocracy
Government in which the power to
govern is held by one person. (often
unlimited)
Citizens have little if any role in the
government
Generally the power to rule is inherited
or by military force.
There are two
types of Autocracy.
#1 Dictatorship
The leader has not been
elected and uses force to
control all aspects of social
and economic life.
The leader is not restricted
by laws or the constitution
Citizens have few rights
Examples: Adolf Hitler in
Germany, Joseph Stalin in
the Soviet Union and some
African nations after
independence
#2 Absolute
Monarchy
A monarchy has a king, queen, or emperor.
The power is usually inherited or passed down
from family members.
The monarch has absolute power, meaning
they can make all decisions .
Some countries limit the monarch’s power by
having a constitutional monarchy. (U.K.)
Oligarchy
A government in which a few people such as
a dominant clan or clique have power
especially for corrupt or self purposes
The group gets their power from either
military, wealth or social status.
Elections may be held but offer
only one candidate.
The citizens have a very limited role.
Examples: Greek city states and South Africa
before the end of Apartheid.
Democracy
In a democracy, the government is “ruled by
the people.” Supreme power is vested in the
people and exercised by them directly or
indirectly through a system of representation
There are two forms of democracy:

Direct Democracy – People vote on all the issues.
(Ancient Athens)

Representative Democracy – People elect
representatives and give them the power to vote
on issues. (Republic)

Example: United States, South Korea, Israel, South
Africa
In a democracy….
Individual freedom and equality is
valued.
Free elections are held and all can vote.
Decisions are based on majority rule.
All candidates and people can express
their views freely.
Citizens vote by secret ballot.
The name Republic of does not
necessary mean a democracy.
Democratic Governments
There are two major forms of
democratic governments:
Parliamentary
 Presidential

Parliamentary Democracy
Voters elect members to the Parliament
(legislature)
Most of the time the head of state and the
chief of state are two different people.
Many times the head of state is a ceremonial
role and the chief of state has the power
Chief of state is usually called the Prime
Minister and is chosen by the legislature
(parliament) not directly by the people.
Chief executive and the legislature are
usually the same branch of the government
Presidential Democracy
Voters elect legislators with the legislators
and president elected in separate elections.
Voters elect the president who is the head of
state and the chief of state.

Therefore, in the presidential system voters have
a more direct say about those who serve in two
branches of the government :



Legislative
Executive
These are separate branches with power divided
between them.
Parliamentary
System
Presidential System
Executive
Executive
Select
Legislative
Elect
Legislative
Citizens
Citizens
Systems of Government are based
on one question: How is the
power distributed?
There are three ways governments
distribute power:
Unitary
 Confederation
 Federal

Unitary
One central government (authority) controls
everything.
Power is not shared between the central
government and states or provinces.
Works well with smaller nations.
Examples : United Kingdom, Sudan, Japan,
Israel, the Netherlands, and Spain
Unitary does not necessarily equal autocratic.
Confederation
A voluntary association of independent states
that agrees to follow a central government.
States can choose to follow or not follow the
lead of the weak central government.
States may leave at any time.
Examples: Confederate States of America
( 1861-1865), European Union, OPEC,
OAU.
Federal
Power is shared between a powerful
central government and states or
provinces.
States or provinces are given considerable
self rule, usually through their own
legislatures. (example: state governments)
Examples: United States, Germany, Kenya
South Africa
Unitary
central has all the power
Countries who have this government are
U.K., Saudi Arabia, and Oman
Government decides everything voting,
drinking, seatbelts, all taxation laws for the
country.
Power is unbalanced toward the central
government
Federal
Central government decides: voting age, drinking
age, national security, federal taxes
Local government decides: education, cell phone
laws, alcohol sales, seatbelt laws, sales tax
Countries with this type of government are: U.S. ,
Germany, U.A. E.
Power is balanced
Confederation
Local government decides everything- voting,
drinking age, driving age, taxation, etc.
The U.S. pre-civil war
Central government has little power.
There is no consistency across the country.
Power is with unbalanced toward local government
Autocratic
No rights for citizens
The oldest form of government
AKA: Dictatorship, Tolitarian, or Absolute Monarchy
Leadership maintained through inheritance or ruthless use of
military and police power
Oman has this type of government
Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini, King of Saudi Arabia
Ayatollah
Gadhfi
Castro
Oligarchic
AKA: Communism
Examples of countries with this government are China and
North Korea
Citizens have a limited role
Wealthy and Military often hold more power
Leaders are often corrupt with selfish motives
Leaders of the “party” and armed forces control the government
Theocracy
Taliban
Hammas- Israel
Theocracy
Democratic
For the people, of the people
Fair elections
Power is exercised directly and indirectly through a
system of representation
Two main forms
Presidential

Obama
Parliamentary

Queen Elizabeth
Putting it all together….
To classify a type of
government we
need to look back at
the three questions
we have
answered…



Who rules and how?
How much can a
citizen participate in
their government?
How is the power
distributed?
For example:

The United Kingdom
is a constitutional
monarchy with a
parliamentary
democracy and a
unitary system.

The United States is
a presidential
democracy with a
federal system.
What do you remember?
What are the three types of
governments?
What are the three systems of
government?
Now it is your turn…
Now you classify the governments of
Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Kenya
and 3 other African nations of your
choosing. Use cia.gov and culture
grams on the Cobb Virtual Library to
help you find out information.
Kenya
KENYA
Kenya's president (currently Mwai Kibaki) serves as both chief
of state and head of government and is elected by popular vote
to a five-year term. The prime minister (currently Raila Odinga)
is the head of the largest party in the National Assembly and
handles government business. However, this position was
eliminated by the 2010 constitution and is expected to be
phased out when the new constitution comes into effect.
Legislative power is held by the 224-seat National Assembly
(Bunge). Its members serve five-year terms. Voters directly elect
210 members, the president appoints 12, and two positions are
reserved for the National Assembly's speaker and the attorney
general. The 2010 constitution called for a second legislative
body, the Senate, to be created. Kenya has eight provinces,
each with a local government. The voting age is 18.
Type- Republic
Who rules? Mwai Kibaki is both
President is Chief and Head of State
Prime Minister’s role is to be phased
out.
Legislative Branch is called the Bunge
How? Presidential Democracy
How much can citizens
participate in their government?
VotingAge 18 to vote and elect both the
president and legislature by popular
vote
Freedom of Speech/PressThe Kenya Broadcasting Corporation is
indirectly controlled by the government.
How is power distributed?
Federal- Eight province each with a
local government.
Standard of Living
Access to education for citizens:
Citizens have access to school, but
public schools are underfunded
Schools are authoritarian
Access to Healthcare for citizens:
Access to basic healthcare, but they are
under equipped. Growing number of
AIDS and Malaria
Distribution of Resources
Kenya’s government is stable with a
democratic system. This would have a
POSITIVE impact on distribution of
resources.
Sudan
Sudan's president (currently Omar Hassan al-Bashir)
is chief of state and head of government. The
executive branch also includes a first and second
vice president. The bicameral legislature consists of a
directly elected National Assembly and an indirectly
elected Council of States. Members of both bodies
serve six-year terms. The National Congress Party
(NCP) is the official governing party of Sudan. The
voting age is 18. Islamic law forms the basis of
Sudan’s legal system
Type- Autocratic- Dictatorship
Who rules? President is chief and
head of government
Legislation is called the National
assembly
How? Authoritarian/Theocracy
How much can citizens participate
in their government?
Voting18 years, but no popular vote elections
Freedom of Speech/PressPrimitive communication except in
cities. No government restrictions
evident
How is power distributed?
Unitary
Standard of Living
Access to education for citizens:
Schools are often under equipped.
Boys are more likely to attend school
than girls. It is widely believed that a
girls place is in the home
Access to Healthcare for citizens:
Health care is very limited except in
major cities.
Distribution of Resources
International relief agencies provide
some basic services in war-torn areas
and to internal refugees.
The authoritarian government will have
a negative impact on distribution of
resources
South Africa
South Africa's president (currently Jacob Zuma) is
chief of state and head of government. The president
is chosen by an elected parliament on the basis of
the majority party's recommendation. Parliament has
two houses: a 90-member Council of Provinces and a
400-seat National Assembly. All members of
Parliament are elected to five-year terms. Members
of the National Assembly are elected directly by
popular vote, while Council members are chosen by
the nine provincial parliaments. The president serves
a maximum of two five-year terms. Citizens are
eligible to vote at age 18.
Type- Republic
Who rules? President is head of state
and chief of state
How? Parliamentary Democracy
How much can citizens participate
in their government?
How much can citizens participate in
their government? (Type)
Voting18 years of age vote for National
Assembly
Freedom of Speech/PressNo limitations on freedom of speech
How is power distributed?
unitary
Standard of Living
Access to education for citizens:
High school education is more common
for whites and Indians. Some schools
are under equipped
Access to Healthcare for citizens:
Public hospitals and clinics are open to all citizens.
Free care is given to all pregnant women and to
children younger than age six. Disease and
malnutrition are more common among blacks.
About half of South Africa's population lacks basic
sanitation; almost one-third lacks access to adequate
supplies of potable water.
Distribution of Resources
Unequal distribution of resources due to
the long-lasting affects of the Apartheid.
Not related to current government
stability.